Newbie pay question

Depends on the load. If you have trucks/cars that you drive on and off your trailer then yes... you can load and unload. You'll never unload or load a coil or any kind of lumber, steel etc... Due to insurance reasons you'll never be allowed to run a crane or forklift.

The tarps weigh anywhere from 80lbs to 150lbs. Our covered wagon tarps weigh 150+ lbs but the good thing is you'll only have to put them on every once in awhile as once they are put on, they stay on until they get damaged to the point they need to be changed.

Lumber tarps are around 100 lbs, I'd guesstimate and steel tarps are around 70-80lbs. It's been a long time since I've thrown a steel or lumber tarp around but I'm just estimating their weight from memory. I know they aren't particularly light, that's for sure. But they're not back breakingly heavy, either.

 

Well, unless I am missing something, this is rather significant excercise. I have fears about getting no excercise while on the road, being away from a gym, a pool, and rushing to get from place to place, so I am listening to the details about flatbedding (I am newbie, no CDL or training, but intent on driving full time for at least a year to learn about whether it fits me) and it seems like it might be more appropriate for me than pulling vans.

 

Tarping and tieing down really isn't that much of a work out it just makes you move around more then vans or refers. The guys who make it sound life threateningly hard are typically the ones who cant walk fifty foot with out sounding like Darth Vader.

I have a nation wide gym membership (Anytime Fitness) and because of parking issues and time I don't get to use it has much has I would like to but it dose come in handy for a clean place to shower. Only takes three uses a month to pay for itself in that regard.

 

A couple silly and very basic questions, if you don't mind:

You use your gym membership across the nation just to take your showers? How do you get your rig to the gym?

I am planning on driving full time without a traditional home base, and I have wondered about excercise and showering, as the only shower prices I know are Flying J, which are now $8.50 per shower here in Florida now.

Multiply that times 25 days on the road, and the numbers look rather ugly....

Maybe I ought to start my own thread on this....

 

The shower cost isn't that bad when you figure in that you typically get a free shower and yes some places are really trashy. Depending on the company there may be showers at terminals. And some (not many) companies will reimburse shower expense.


Like I said parking is an issue. What I normally do is look online to see where the closest chapter is then call them and ask if there's someplace close by where I can park Google maps helps to. If there isn't well a mile to a mile and a half jog makes for a good warm up, SSS kit and change of cloths in a backpack and away we go 30-45 minute work out hit the shower then walk back or take a cab. At times where say I'm laid over on a Sunday for a Monday delivery I have taken a cab up to about ten miles both ways. But this is mostly for a sanity brake from the truck. A two hour no hurry work out followed by a long, slow, hot (yes almost has good has sex) shower then maybe a little walk around shopping in the area. Is WELL worth a little cab fare IMO just for the break from the truck, truck stops, and other truckers